


a touch of time

by thisissirius



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Injury, M/M, Soul Bond, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:33:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23926201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisissirius/pseuds/thisissirius
Summary: "How long have you known?"The question is for anyone, but it’s Bobby who answers.“One week, two days, fourteen hours, and twenty-two minutes.”(repost to the right tag UGH)
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 3
Kudos: 322
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	a touch of time

**Author's Note:**

> my soulmate fic! that i will probably continue some day. in response to a prompt on tumblr.

“How long have you known?”

Maddie shifts her weight in the horrible plastic chairs, her hand still tight in Chim’s. Hen’s pacing the floor in front of him, deep into a conversation on the phone. Buck thinks maybe it’s Karen. Bobby’s sitting on Buck’s other side, keeping watch over all of them.

The question is for anyone, but it’s Bobby who answers.

“One week, two days, fourteen hours, and twenty-two minutes.”

Buck’s eyebrows raise. “That close to the minute?”

“I have never seen you look that way at anyone,” Bobby points out. “Even during your self-diagnosed sex addict phase. I knew he was different.”

Buck couldn’t say _he was._ It felt too much like putting Eddie in the past tense. “It took us three of those days to realize.”

Bobby rolls his eyes. 

Maddie snorts. “Seriously, Buck?”

Buck rubs at his chest. “I couldn’t understand what it was. It feels horrible.”

“Yeah,” Chim agrees. “Not the best feeling to start with.”

“Or now,” Buck says, wincing as he feels something in his chest wrench. “God, I hate this.”

“How does it feel right now?” Bobby asked. 

“Like something’s tugging behind my heart,” Buck says, dropping his hands to his lap. ”Like I’m going to have a heart attack if someone doesn’t tell me _soon what the fuck is going on.”_

Voice raising, he draws the attention of some of the staff, but Maddie turns in her seat, narrowing her eyes. “Evan.”

“I can’t do this,” Buck says, sucking in a breath. “God, what if he dies and I’ve only just _found him_.”

Hen hangs up the phone. “Buckaroo, you need to calm it down.”

“Do you know what this feels like?”

It’s not fair, and he sees the shadow fall over Hen’s face. “Buck-”

“No, I’m sorry,” Buck says, choking down a sob. “I didn’t mean - you and Karen are perfect, even if you haven’t bonded, and I’m sorry, but I only just found him, Hen, I can’t lose him.”

Hen takes a step towards him and then pauses. Buck’s glad she doesn’t try and touch him, that nobody else is attempting the same. He knows, just as everyone does, that if someone touches him while his bond is stretched, his skin will burn, that the pain will be too much. Though he thinks nothing could be so bad as this.

“It’s all right,” Hen says eventually. “Buck, I need you to trust me, to trust us. We got Eddie here in time.”

“Christopher needs his dad,” Buck says, his voice breaking on the word. He’s not even met the kid yet; Eddie’s promise to introduce them came only that morning, and now he’s not sure it’ll happen. 

He’s snapped out of his panic by a scrub-clad woman approaching their group. “Evan Buckley?”

Buck frowns. “Yeah?”

“I’m Doctor Hanna. I was operating on your soulmate.”

Something thuds in the back of Buck’s head. “How do you know-?”

“Mr. Diaz informed the hospital as soon as he confirmed the bond.”

“Oh,” Buck says, sounding small. Why hasn’t he done that yet? Oh god, what if he’d been the one-

“Buck,” Maddie says sharply.

Doctor Hanna sends Maddie a thankful look. “I understand this is difficult, Mr. Buckley. It was touch and go for a while, but as I’m sure you can feel, Mr. Diaz is going to make a full recovery.”

“I can’t,” Buck says, ignoring his relief in favour of the burn in his chest. “It still feels stretched.”

“It’ll fix,” Bobby assures him, “as soon as you touch Eddie.”

Buck’s ignorant of bonds, their workings and intricacies. He wonders if Eddie knows any better. “Can I see him?”

“Under other circumstances, I would refuse,” Doctor Hanna tells him, “But the touch of a soulmate advances the healing process. You only, please.”

“Yeah,” Buck breathes, and immediately turns to Bobby. “You’ll call Eddie’s Abuela? Let her and Christopher know?”

“You have my word.”

Eddie looks - Buck hates how he looks. 

Stepping up to the bedside, Buck hesitates in touching any part of Eddie’s body. He’s scared his touch won’t work, that Eddie’s presence in his chest will fade completely. Maybe Eddie’ll move on. Maybe this is meant to be. He swallows. 

“You better not keep scaring me, Eddie,” he whispers. He hesitates, one hand over Eddie’s. “I don’t care if you were doing your job, letting half a building fall on you is just plain selfish.”

“S’rry.”

Buck’s eyes widen. He watches Eddie’s eyes flutter open. “ _Eddie_.”

Eddie’s smile is small, but Buck’s never seen anything so perfect. All too soon it fades, shifting into a pained frown. “Hurts.”

“Yeah, a building will do that.”

“No,” Eddie says gently, trying to lift his hand and failing. “Bond’s not good.”

Shit. Buck immediately touches a hand to Eddie’s forehead, brushes his hair back. He keeps his hand there, strokes gently at Eddie’s hair. Eddie lets out a soft noise, relaxing a little into the mattress. “Better?”

Eddie’s head moves against Buck’s hand as he nods. His fingers twitch. “You ‘kay?”

“Yeah,” Buck says, hooking his foot around the leg of the chair by the bed and moving it closer. He takes a seat, not once letting his hand move from Eddie’s head. “I’m okay. Bobby’s letting your Abuela know. And Chris.”

“Thanks,” Eddie slurs.

“I’ll make sure he comes tomorrow,” Buck whispers, knowing there’s nothing he wouldn’t give Eddie if it’s in his means.

“Mmhmm,” Eddie manages, his eyes half-lidded, mouth curving into a slow smile. “Stay.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Buck promises, and somewhere in his chest, the bond unfurls like a flower towards the sun. 

**Author's Note:**

> join me on my [tumblr](http://thisissirius.tumblr.com)!


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